martoon

14.4.04

CULTURE - Washington’s new crackdown on pornography

  • an ok article, but hey, what an great excerpt

  • "Zicari has a lot of similar questions, if it comes to that. For example, why is pornography held to a higher standard of decorum than other genres of pop culture? Are the two amateurishly simulated murders in Forced Entry somehow more offensive than the dozens of expertly simulated murders in Jason vs. Freddy or Gangs of New York? Is the difference between eating semen-spattered dog food in a porn movie and eating raw pig rectums on Fear Factor really so pronounced that the former deserves a jail sentence while the latter becomes a prime-time major network staple?"

    12.4.04

    ROBOT - wheelchair... uhm... Legchair

  • WL-16

  • Scroll down towards the bottom of the page to watch the walking chair demonstrations.

    11.4.04

    ROBOT - robo-nurse

  • Robots Seen As Companions for Elderly

  • An interesting situation arising with too many elderly and not enough caretakers.

    "To some scientists, robots are the answer to caring for aging societies in Japan and other nations where the young are destined to be overwhelmed by a surging elderly population.

    In one of a budding series of robot-therapy sessions at Japanese hospitals and senior citizens' homes, the elderly patients suffer from severe dementia, but their faces light up when they see the dog-shaped robot, swaddled in soft clothing, waddle around the hospital floor. Some clap; others break into feeble smiles. Urged by nurses, a few cautiously reach out and touch it."

    6.4.04

    SCIENCE - a worm a day will keep the doctor away

  • Diet of worms can cure bowel disease

  • It says here, "Regular doses of worms really do rid people of inflammatory bowel disease. The first trials of the treatment have been a success, and a drinkable concoction containing thousands of pig whipworm eggs could soon be launched in Europe". Now if only they'd package tape worm, I wouldn't have to hit the gym.

    INVENTION - Really Low Tech Fridge

  • Simply Brilliant

  • Mohammed Bah Abba "takes a smaller pot and put it inside a larger pot. Fills the space in between them with wet sand, and covers the top with a wet cloth. When the water evaporates, it pulls the heat out with it, making the inside cold. It's a natural, cheap, easy-to-make refrigerator."

    4.4.04

    1.4.04

    ROBOT - aibo on steroids

  • roboscience

  • England's answer to the cutesy clumsy aibo